Claude Makelele applauds Jose Mourinho as Real Madrid silence Aurelien Tchouameni exit talk

Claude Makelele has praised Real Madrid’s decision to hand Aurelien Tchouameni a new contract until 2031, insisting Jose Mourinho has made the right call by building his midfield around the France international.

Tchouameni had been linked with a summer departure before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with reports suggesting Madrid were open to cashing in as part of a squad rebuild. Manchester United were among the clubs credited with strong interest as speculation over his future intensified.

Instead, Real Madrid have moved to secure the midfielder on a long-term deal, underlining Mourinho’s faith in him as the club’s first-choice holding midfielder ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Makelele sees echoes of Madrid’s biggest mistake

Few understand the importance of the No.6 role at Real Madrid better than Makelele, whose departure to Chelsea in 2003 has long been regarded as one of the club’s most costly transfer mistakes.

The former France international believes Mourinho has learned from history and refused to weaken a key area of his squad.

“Mourinho isn’t stupid, he’s a good coach, one of the best. He knows he’s going to need a strong team to win La Liga.

“He was the only consistent player from beginning to end last season. He’s the type of player I would never let leave my team.”

The endorsement comes after Real Madrid strengthened other areas of the squad during the summer, investing around €75 million in full-backs Marc Cucurella and Denzel Dumfries while also adding Bernardo Silva and Ibrahima Konate on free transfers.

Tchouameni central to Mourinho’s plans

The contract extension reflects Tchouameni’s growing importance at the Santiago Bernabeu after an impressive campaign in which he established himself as one of Madrid’s most reliable performers.

The French midfielder started 31 LaLiga matches last season, with only Federico Valverde featuring more often among the club’s midfielders. His consistency under both Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa strengthened his case to remain a cornerstone of the team.

Mourinho is expected to build his midfield around Tchouameni, Valverde and Jude Bellingham when the new season begins, although the trio are unlikely to report for pre-season until August following their involvement at the FIFA World Cup.

The Portuguese coach begins his second spell in charge of Real Madrid with a LaLiga opener against Real Sociedad on August 16, with Tchouameni now firmly expected to be at the heart of his plans.